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behnaz shah moradi; Mohsen Golmohammadian; mohsen hojatkah
Abstract
Objective: The aim of the current research is to understand the lived experience of nurses in the corona ward and to determine the strategies they use when facing burnout. The population of this research includes nurses from the corona department of hospitals affiliated to Kermanshah University of Medical ...
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Objective: The aim of the current research is to understand the lived experience of nurses in the corona ward and to determine the strategies they use when facing burnout. The population of this research includes nurses from the corona department of hospitals affiliated to Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences. Method: The present qualitative research was conducted in the first half of 1401. The research sample was selected by non-random sampling method (purposive sampling) and after identifying nurses with moderate to high burnout, 10 people were finally selected according to the saturation of opinions. First, through semi-structured interviews, the data about nurses' experiences were collected. Job burnout and coping strategies were collected and converted into textual data after recording each interview. These data were analyzed with Claysey's seven-stage content analysis method. Results: In the open coding stage, 46 codes were extracted, which were reduced to 15 codes in the axial coding stage. Finally, 4 main themes include strategies based on on the family, including the sub-themes of emotional support of the family, emotional support of friends and social groups, and accepting help from the family, individual-based strategies, including creating a positive attitude, work-life balance, healthy sports and recreation, changing majors and departments, empowerment and collaborative experiences and referring to psychologists and psychiatrists, spirituality-based strategies including faith and heart belief and values governing the profession and organization-based strategies including instrumental support, reducing work density, providing preventive and therapeutic counseling services, paying attention to Welfare facilities and encouragement of employees were identified. Conclusion: Nurses' strategies are different when facing burnout. Emotional support from close family plays an important role in controlling job burnout components and they are a strong source of support in critical situations. Individual strategies of nurses are highly effective in controlling stressful factors caused by job burnout. Strategies based on spirituality by targeting nursing actions can make it easier for nurses to bear problems, and strategies based on organization are also effective in reducing job burnout by motivating nurses. Coping strategies identified as effective strategies can be effective in the process of adapting nurses to the consequences of job burnout and improving the quality of their lives.
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Saman Nonahal; shahram mohammadkhani; Jafar Hasani; mehdi akbari
Abstract
Objective: Given cultural differences, therapies that prove effective in one context may not be equally effective in others. Therefore, our study aimed to culturally adapt the acceptance and commitment therapy matrix protocol for health behaviors (eating and exercise) in the Iranian population with obesity. ...
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Objective: Given cultural differences, therapies that prove effective in one context may not be equally effective in others. Therefore, our study aimed to culturally adapt the acceptance and commitment therapy matrix protocol for health behaviors (eating and exercise) in the Iranian population with obesity. Method: The cultural adaptation study was conducted in five stages: Protocol Translation, Information Gathering, Preliminary Adaptation, Preliminary Test, and Final Adaptation. In stage 2, three professionals specializing in third-wave behavior therapy, one nutritionist, and one bodybuilding coach participated. In stage 4, five individuals with obesity were involved, and, in stage 5, seven professionals in third-wave behavior therapy participated. Data were analyzed quantitatively (mean and content validity index) and qualitatively. Results: A protocol consisting of 12 sessions was developed, assigning two sessions to each of the six steps of the acceptance and commitment therapy matrix. The adapted protocol differed from the original protocol in terms of metaphors, exercises, and materials. We added three metaphors: The Compass, the Noticing Muscle, and the Monsters on the Bus. Additionally, Matrix cards were introduced, including Goals & Directions, The Magic Wand, Who Is Important, Important, Stuff That Shows Up, Behavior, Toward Moves, Toward & Away, Surfing The Waves, Am I Important, Choosing My Life, Psychological Flexibility, Noticing Muscle, Practice, Stuck Loops, Monster Tug-Of-War, Don't Think of It, Don't Feel It, The 2 Rules, Dead Person's Goals, Hooks, Catch & Release, Verbal Aikido, U-Turn, Monsters on the Bus, Two Friends, Texting My Future Self. We also included four worksheets: The Compass, Who or What Is Important, Two Friends, and Texting My Future Self. Excluded items were The Hooky Words Game and Sorting Five-Senses and Inner Experience. The Monster Tug-Of-War metaphor was used instead of the Man in The Hole metaphor; for an experiential exploration of controlling thoughts, the term “pink elephant” was used instead of “purple unicorn;” the new version of the Verbal Aikido Worksheet was used instead of the existing one; and the Two Friend metaphor was replaced with the Mother Cat Exercise. Furthermore, a short video about physical aikido was added, and the perspective-taking dialogue shifted from verbal format to writing format. The content validity index for each session in the adapted protocol, as well as for the entire adapted protocol, was excellent. Conclusion: The study provides valuable insights into the use of the acceptance and commitment therapy matrix in the Iranian population with obesity. It underscores the importance of considering cultural nuances during intervention design.
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Ali pakizeh; sadegh hekmatiyan fard; Marzieh Bagheri
Abstract
Objective: The present research was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of correcting girls' cognitive bias towards physical appearance on their desire for cosmetic surgery and self-esteem. Method: The research method in this study is semi-experimental and using a pre-test and post-test ...
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Objective: The present research was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of correcting girls' cognitive bias towards physical appearance on their desire for cosmetic surgery and self-esteem. Method: The research method in this study is semi-experimental and using a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of the research included the female students of the non-profit Foulad University of Technology in the academic year 1401, of which 200 were selected using the purposeful sampling method and completed the body image questionnaire. Then, 45 students whose questionnaire scores were above the average were selected and placed in two experimental groups (22 people) and control (23 people) using the random assignment method.The research tools were: Cooper Smith's Self-Esteem Questionnaire, Cosmetic Surgery Tendency Questionnaire, Probe Dot Test. First, a pre-test was taken from both groups, and then 10 sessions of 30 to 40 minutes were held individually for the experimental group (8 sessions to correct cognitive bias and 2 sessions to measure bias and fill in questionnaires). During this time, the control group did not receive any training. After completing the training, a post-test was taken from both groups and the collected data were analyzed by SPSS software. Results: The findings showed that correcting cognitive bias towards physical appearance reduces cognitive bias towards physical appearance (P<0.01) and decreases desire for cosmetic surgery in student girls (P<0.01); But the effect of correcting cognitive bias towards physical appearance on self-esteem was not observed (P<0.01). Conclusion: Cognitive bias correction can be used as an effective method. Although the current research is limited in generalizability due to the use of a single-sex sample and targeted sampling, the clear findings based on the effect of cognitive bias correction on reducing cognitive bias towards physical appearance and also reducing the desire for cosmetic surgery. It opens a new perspective regarding the effect of unconscious interventions aimed at correcting cognitive biases on mental health. Cognitive bias correction has more therapeutic effect than group cognitive behavioral therapy, because the effectiveness of cognitive bias correction treatment is probably caused by changing the selective information processing pattern and interpretation biases in the tests, which are based on the models Cognitive are effective in creating and maintaining disorder. Cognitive bias correction method changes biases through more experimental and subtle methods (compared to verbal and more obvious psychotherapy processes).
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Ali Janadleh
Abstract
Objective: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is one of the chronic illness that, due to its multiple and stable physical and mental dimensions, has major and continuous consequences on a wide range of aspects of the individual and social life of the patient. This illness has a female face based on its widespread ...
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Objective: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is one of the chronic illness that, due to its multiple and stable physical and mental dimensions, has major and continuous consequences on a wide range of aspects of the individual and social life of the patient. This illness has a female face based on its widespread prevalence among women and also the specific effects it has on women. Nevertheless, in domestic studies, the experience of women with this illness has been less considered, and the few studies that have been conducted are often based on a clinical-medical and quantitative approach. Accordingly, in this article, an attempt is made to study the experience of women with Multiple sclerosis in the social context of Iranian society. Method: According to the main goal of this study, a feminist phenomenological approach has been adopted. Semi-structured interview was conducted with 25 women suffering from this illness who were selected using the purposeful sampling method and Criterion sampling strategy and the interviews were analyzed based on the procedure suggested by Moustakas. Results: Based on the narratives expressed in the interviews, the studied women's experience of Multiple sclerosis illness was formulated in the themes of living in suspension, shame of powerlessness, sexual inactivity, maternity risk and spousal apprehension. "Life in suspense" means that the women participating in this study, in describing and expressing their experience of MS illness, have mentioned the sense of uncertainty and not having a clear and reliable image of the future. "Shame of powerlessness" refers to the fact that the fatigue and disability caused by MS goes beyond the physical dimension, and women with MS feel a kind of shame due to their inability to perform daily activities. "Sexual inactivity" indicates that uncertainty and disability in MS affect the patient's most private activities, especially sexual performance, in such a way that it leads to a change in the research participants' self-perception and endangering personal relationships with their wives. The forth theme is “Risky motherhood”. In such a situation, "motherhood" in women with MS becomes a "risky" issue for both the patient and the child at various fetal stages and thereafter in terms of meeting the child's care needs. Finally, the theme of "marriage anxiety" that refers to research participant concerns about the continuity of married life, worry about the husband's lack of understanding of the patient's situation and etc. Such conditions make marriage and playing the role of a wife a problematic situation for women with MS. Conclusion: According to the extracted themes, the experience of female participants in this research was conceptualized under the main theme of "identity anxiety" that refers to the experience of anxiety and worry about unfulfilled gender identity. This experience and understanding of MS, is a result of the intersection of the experience of chronic illness with gender, the body, and the social context in which a woman's identity is closely tied to pre-defined expectations and roles such as sexual attractiveness, marriage, homemaking, wifehood, motherhood, etc.
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Farahnaz Javanmard; azra zebardast; Masoume Maleki Pirbazari
Abstract
Objective: Pregnancy is associated with physical and emotional changes, and the special conditions of Covid-19 can increase the level of health anxiety. The present study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of short-term solution-oriented treatment on vaccine injection attitude and health ...
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Objective: Pregnancy is associated with physical and emotional changes, and the special conditions of Covid-19 can increase the level of health anxiety. The present study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of short-term solution-oriented treatment on vaccine injection attitude and health anxiety in pregnant women during the Covid-19 pandemic. Method: The design of the current research was a quasi-experimental type of pre-test and post-test. The statistical sample consisted of 30 pregnant women referring to the Center Integratedated HealthcServicesices in Siahkal County, who were selected purposefully and non-randomly, and was placed in groups of 15 people, the experimental and the control, by random allocation, signed to health anxiety questionnaires (Salkosix and Warwick, 1989) and vaccine attitude (Rahmanian et al., 2019) answered voluntarily. The experimental group received short-term solution-oriented therapy (De Sahzer et al., 2006) in 5 sessions, and the control group did not receive any intervention. The data were analyzed by analysis of covariance. Results: The findings showed that short-term solution-oriented treatment has an effect on vaccine injection attitude and health anxiety in pregnant women during the Covid-19 pandemic (P<0.05). So that the average vaccine injection attitude in the experimental group increased from 27 to 48 in the post-test phase and the average health anxiety decreased from 52 to 32 in pregnant women. Based on the results presented about the descriptive indicators and the difference between the two test and control groups in the post-test of these indicators, it can be said that the short-term solution-oriented treatment reduces health anxiety (49%) and improves vaccine injection attitude (71%) has a significant effect in pregnant women during the Covid-19 pandemic. Conclusion: Based on the educational content in this approach, instead of focusing on the problems that will arise from the hypothetical consequences of the Covid-19 vaccine, pregnant women should find a way by examining the evidence and the percentage of benefits and losses of inappropriate solutions such as avoiding the injection of the vaccine. They looked carefully for a solution to cure and eradicate this viral disease and in this way they have changed their attitude towards the Covid-19 vaccine. Therefore, the solution-oriented treatment was guided based on the solution of the elimination of covid-19 and the immunization of people through the change of attitude and hope for the health of the mother and the fetus. This approach in pregnant women focused on highlighting the capabilities and successes of vaccination and creating health in mothers and fetuses during the treatment process..Based on the obtained results, it can be said that in critical situations, with the use of solution-oriented and short-term interventions, it is possible to increase the attitude of health promotion through the injection of the Covid-19 vaccine in pregnant women and reduce their health anxiety.
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Forough Esrafilian; Hojjatollah Farahani; Farzin Bagheri Sheykhangafshe
Abstract
Objective: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and potentially debilitating disease that affects the central nervous system, which comprises the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. MS disrupts the flow of information within and between the brain and body, leading to a wide range of physical and cognitive ...
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Objective: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and potentially debilitating disease that affects the central nervous system, which comprises the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. MS disrupts the flow of information within and between the brain and body, leading to a wide range of physical and cognitive symptoms. This condition is characterized by an abnormal immune response that targets myelin, the protective sheath surrounding nerve fibers, resulting in inflammation and damage. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between emotional adaptation and mindfulness with the mediation of cognitive emotion regulation in patients with MS. Method: The method of this research was descriptive and the research design was a correlation design. The statistical population of the present study consisted of all people with MS in Tehran in 2022. For this purpose, the Iranian MS Association was referred and 300 patients were selected through voluntary and accessible sampling. To collect research data, questionnaires on emotional adaptation (Rubio et al, 2007), mindfulness (Cardaciotto et al, 2008), and, cognitive emotion regulation (Garnefski & Kraaij, 2006) were used. A unified questionnaire comprising all the scales was prepared to conduct this research. Subsequently, in coordination with the Iranian MS Society, individuals were contacted. If they volunteered and were willing to participate in the study, they were asked to visit the MS Society or MS treatment centers in Tehran to complete the questionnaire. The questionnaires were distributed individually, and during the research implementation, necessary explanations regarding how to respond and the purpose of the research were provided to the patients. The research was conducted from September to December 2022. Additionally, to adhere to ethical considerations, patients were assured that the research data would be analyzed collectively. Ethical principles in writing the article were followed according to the guidelines of the National Ethics Committee and the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) code of conduct. For data analysis in this research, descriptive statistical indices (mean, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis) and inferential statistical indices (Pearson correlation coefficient, path analysis) were used via SPSS and LISREL software version 24. Results: The results obtained from this research showed that the dimensions of mind-awareness (awareness focused on the present moment and acceptance) as exogenous variables of the research on the dimensions of emotional adaptation (lack of regulation of emotional and physiological arousals, hopelessness, and wishful thinking) have both direct and indirect effects (P<0.001). These effects underscore the complex interplay between present-moment awareness, acceptance, and the emotional processes in individuals with MS. The indirect effects were mediated through various pathways, indicating that mind awareness influences emotional adaptation directly and through its impact on other intermediate variables and coping mechanisms. Conclusion: What can be concluded from the present findings is the importance of training mindfulness skills in MS patients and improving cognitive skills in emotional regulation. According to the stress perceived by these people, the more a person focuses on desires and destructive thoughts loses focus on the present, and cannot accept his illness, the course and process of the disease will undoubtedly be faster. Future research should continue to explore the benefits of mindfulness and emotional regulation training in MS patients. Longitudinal studies could provide deeper insights into how these interventions impact disease progression and quality of life over time. Additionally, research could investigate the optimal methods for delivering mindfulness training to MS patients, considering factors such as disease severity, cognitive function, and individual preferences.
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Elham Zamirpour moghadamnia; Isaac Rahimian Boogar; Siavash Talepasand
Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the structural effect of personality functioning and attachment styles on emotional eating by considering the mediating factor of defense mechanisms. Method: In the correlation design with structural equation modeling method, 800 participants were selected ...
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Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the structural effect of personality functioning and attachment styles on emotional eating by considering the mediating factor of defense mechanisms. Method: In the correlation design with structural equation modeling method, 800 participants were selected by compliance sampling method. The data collected with Eating Behavior Questionnaire, the Collins and Reed Adult Attachment Style Questionnaire, the Defense Styles Questionnaire and the short form of The Personality Function Levels Scale was completed by the sample. Results: The level of personality functioning (0.52) and the secure (0.91), anxious (0.39) and avoidant (0.51) attachment style have a direct structural effects on emotional eating (P<0.05). The level of personality functioning, considering the mediating factor of mature (0.76), immature (0.83) and neurotic (0.79) defense mechanisms, has an indirect structural effect on emotional eating (P<0.05). Secure (0.61), anxious (0.61) and avoidant (0.72) attachment styles have an indirect structural effect on emotional eating with mediating factor of mature defense mechanisms (P<0.05). Secure (0.78), anxious (0.60) and avoidant (0.79) attachment styles have an indirect structural effect on emotional eating with mediating factor of immature defense mechanisms(P<0.05). Secure (0.86), anxious (0.67) and avoidant (0.73) attachment styles have an indirect structural effect on emotional eating with mediating factor of neurotic defense mechanisms (P<0.05). The results showed that the structural model has an acceptable fit with the collected data. The fit of the structural model implies the direct and indirect role of personality functioning level and attachment styles on emotional eating, considering the mediating role of defense mechanisms. Conclusion: Personality disorders have been linked to uncontrolled and binge eating, suggesting that individuals who binge eat may have more maladaptive and less adaptive personality traits. The emotion regulation theory of eating behavior proposes that emotional eating can improve mood by reducing negative emotions. This overlap in emotion regulation between personality functioning and emotional eating may explain their relationship. Immature defense mechanisms are associated with emotional eating, which acts as a strategic defense to alleviate negative emotions, though it often leads to problems. The way mothers and children interact during stressful situations shapes a child's self-regulation, cognitive and emotional foundations, and coping strategies. Without secure attachment, individuals may struggle to regulate their emotions effectively, resorting to unhealthy strategies like binge eating. These findings could inform the development of psychological interventions and treatment protocols for binge eating and obesity.
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Mojtaba Aghili; Seyedeh Elham Seyedi
Abstract
Objective: Blood pressure is actually one of the most asymptomatic risk factors, which is usually discovered at the same time as irreversible complications such as heart and brain strokes occur. Considering the high prevalence of high blood pressure in Iran and since access to psychological treatments ...
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Objective: Blood pressure is actually one of the most asymptomatic risk factors, which is usually discovered at the same time as irreversible complications such as heart and brain strokes occur. Considering the high prevalence of high blood pressure in Iran and since access to psychological treatments at least at the same time as drug treatments accelerates and makes the recovery more stable, this research aims to investigate the effectiveness of mindfulness on defense mechanisms, behavioral brain systems and early arousal in affected patients. Blood pressure was done. Method: The present study was applied in terms of its purpose and semi-experimental with a control group in terms of implementation method. The statistical population included all patients with blood pressure in Azadshahr and had health records in urban health-treatment centers in 2022. Using available sampling method, 30 patients were selected and randomly replaced in two experimental and control groups (15 people in each group). The experimental group underwent 8 90-minute sessions of mindfulness therapy, but the control group did not receive any intervention until the end of the study. The research tools were Andrews et al.'s defensive styles questionnaire (1993), Carver and White's behavioral brain systems (1994), and Barrett et al.'s (2004) impulsivity questionnaire. Research data were analyzed by multivariate covariance analysis and spss software version 24. Results: The mean and standard deviation of defense mechanisms, brain systems of behavior and impulsivity for the pre-test and post-test stages showed that after the mindfulness treatment, the scores of the experimental group had a significant difference. Also, the results showed that mindfulness treatment is effective on defense mechanisms,behavioral brain systems and impulsivity in patients with high blood pressure (p<0.05). Conclusion: The results of the research indicate that, since the use of underdeveloped and neurotic defense mechanisms are destructive and increase stress and cause the aggravation of mental disorders and increase stress and primary blood pressure, therefore, in order to reduce the use of these underdeveloped mechanisms, it is necessary for people Stay away from judgment and understand your feelings and accept them as they are. Mindfulness leads to the attitude that thoughts and feelings are transitory, and the above attitude makes it possible to see thoughts and feelings as just thoughts or just feelings, which eventually leads to a reduction in self-thoughts and rumination and a reduction in unpleasant states. and mindfulness with the person's awareness of their cognitive cycles and reducing negative thoughts plays an important role in improving defense mechanisms and brain-behavioral systems in patients with high blood pressure. Also, with the increase in mindfulness, the power of emotional control and self-management of patients with high blood pressure increases, and they are able to directly control their emotions caused by impulsivity.
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Bahareh Mirahmadi; Massoud Lavasani; Ahmed Alipour; Gholam Ali Afrooz
Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the family-oriented program on psychological distress and adherence to treatment in people with diabetes and hypertension. Method: The present study was a semi-experimental with pre-test-post-test design with a control group ...
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Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the family-oriented program on psychological distress and adherence to treatment in people with diabetes and hypertension. Method: The present study was a semi-experimental with pre-test-post-test design with a control group and a three-month follow-up. 40 people with diabetes and hypertension were selected to enter the study. Then, 40 volunteers participating in the research and eligible to enter the research were randomly assigned to two groups of 20 people by matching them in terms of age and history of diabetes. The data collection tool included demographic information questionnaire, depression, anxiety and stress scale and Madanlo's questionnaire of adherence to treatment orders. Results: The comparison of means indicates the effectiveness of the family-based program against the control group. Considering the different experimental and control groups, there is a significant difference between the anxiety scores in the pre-test, post-test, and follow-up stages. For the depression variable, the main effect of the group is substantial (Ƞ2=0.423 Ƞ^2=0.423 Ƞ2=0.423, p<0.05 p<0.05 p<0.05, F=27.846 F=27.846 F=27.846), indicating a significant overall difference in mean depression scores between the two groups. The results show that the main effect of time is substantial (Ƞ2=0.781 Ƞ^2=0.781 Ƞ2=0.781, p<0.05 p<0.05 p<0.05, F=135.824 F=135.824 F=135.824). For the stress variable, the main effect of the group is significant (Ƞ2=0.634 Ƞ^2=0.634 Ƞ2=0.634, p<0.05 p<0.05 p<0.05, F=65.767 F=65.767 F=65.767), indicating a significant overall difference in mean stress scores between the two groups. For the treatment adherence variable, the main effect of the group is substantial (Ƞ2=0.80 Ƞ^2=0.80 Ƞ2=0.80, p<0.05 p<0.05 p<0.05, F=172.726 F=172.726 F=172.726). The main effect of time is significant (Ƞ2=0.985 Ƞ^2=0.985 Ƞ2=0.985, p<0.05 p<0.05 p<0.05, F=2516.562 F=2516.562 F=2516.562), meaning that the changes in mean scores from the pre-test to the post-test and follow-up stages are significant regardless of the experimental and control groups. Conclusion: The results of this research showed that the family-based program is efficacious in improving treatment adherence and psychological distress in employees with diabetes and hypertension. Family empowerment involves providing and teaching a health-promoting lifestyle to families of individuals with chronic disorders, helping families cope with familial problems related to chronic disorders, and strengthening family strengths to improve the safety, well-being, and adaptation of the affected individual. Family empowerment in self-management and self-care for chronic disorders is an intervention that focuses on strengthening the core values of caregivers (families). Family empowerment can also increase positive control of mind and body, preventive care, and constructive relationships with the environment, enhance positive emotions, and improve the family's ability to manage the disorder independently. The more individuals control and master their living environment, particularly stressful life conditions, the greater their sense of inner satisfaction, self-efficacy, and self-belief, leading to better psychological well-being. Conversely, individuals suffering from stress-induced hypertension often lack cognitive and behavioral skills to control stressful environmental events, generally doubting their abilities and constantly worrying about negative evaluations from others regarding themselves and their behaviors.
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Sedigheh Khoshbavar Rostami; majid baradaran; Farzaneh Ranjbar Noushari
Abstract
Objective: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic progressive disease of the central nervous system that affects various aspects of a person's life. Evidence suggests that patients with more disabilities have lower levels of participation in social, home, work, and educational domains. Therefore, people ...
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Objective: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic progressive disease of the central nervous system that affects various aspects of a person's life. Evidence suggests that patients with more disabilities have lower levels of participation in social, home, work, and educational domains. Therefore, people with MS may be at risk of loneliness due to the changes in the social network that occur during the course of the chronic disease. Loneliness is the most painful experience of all human experiences that leads to severe psychological and physical problems. Considering the extensive physical, psychological and social consequences of this disease and the high cost of MS treatment and control, which can be aggravated by the psychological disturbance of patients, it will be important to examine psychological variables in people suffering from this disease. Based on this, the aim of this study was to investigate the role of pain catastrophizing, perceived tension and experiential avoidance in the loneliness of patients with multiple sclerosis. Method: The method of the present research was a descriptive-correlation study. The studied population included all patients with multiple sclerosis living in Rasht in 2022 who 120 people were selected as a sample group by available sampling method. In order to collect data, pain catastrophizing questionnaire (Sullivan et al., 1995), perceived stress scale (Cohen et al., 1983), acceptance and action questionnaire (Bond et al., 2011) and loneliness scale (DiTomaso et al., 2004) was used, all of which were valid and reliable. Participating in this research was optional and all participants were free to quit any time. The identities of the participants in this research were ethically confidential. The research data collected using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and step-by-step regression using SPSS-27 software. Results: The results showed that there is a significant positive correlation between loneliness and pain catastrophizing (r= 0.22, p< 0.05), perceived tension (r= 0.42, p<0.01) and experiential avoidance (r=0.51, p<0.01). In other words, the greater the pain catastrophizing, the perceived tension and the experienced avoidance it is more in patients with multiple sclerosis, loneliness is more. Also, the findings showed that among the predictor variables of this study, only experiential avoidance with a beta coefficient of 0.405 at the error level of 0.05 can predict social loneliness of patients with multiple sclerosis. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, it can be acknowledged that pain catastrophizing, perceived tension and experiential avoidance through non-acceptance of feelings and thoughts have increased the loneliness of patients with multiple sclerosis. Therefore, considering the high levels of injuries and mental disorders in patients with multiple sclerosis, it seems necessary to identify the causal and underlying factors in maintaining and improving the mental health and well-being of this group of chronic patients. The findings of this study can strengthen theoretical models related to health and especially health psychology.
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